Wingate & Finchley name new director of football as Lane replaces Norman

Wingate & Finchley have moved quickly to replace director of football David Norman, who departed after Saturday’s final game, announcing Simon Lane as his replacement.

Lane is taking over immediately and will oversee the first team management as well as the structure of the club’s youth development programme, while Daniel Nielsen remains the head coach.

Blues chairman Aron Sharpe said: “Simon is a coach that I made contact with many years ago and have watched closely. We have spoken on various occasions but, for one reason or another, the opportunity has simply not arisen for us to work together.

“As a club with the emphasis on player development and with Simon’s experience and in-depth knowledge of all the players around our level and above, this partnership is very exciting. I am keen for Simon to begin his work with Wingate & Finchley.”

Lane – a UEFA ‘A’ qualified coach who also holds the UEFA academy managers license - has managed in Malta at Premier League level and had a spell in charge of Windsor and Eton.

He has scouted for AFC Wimbledon and, most recently, spent many years in the Conference South at Maidenhead United as first-team coach with Johnson Hippolyte.

Lane said: “This has the potential to be a great period for the football club, in terms of longer-term initiatives off the pitch supporting sustainability, and continuing to show improvements on the playing side.

“I have long admired the club and its ethos and, as an ambitious manager, now is a good time for me to widen my first-team managerial role to additionally cover the wider development opportunities that we can bring for the young players in north London and surrounding areas.

“I personally can’t wait to get started working with the players and the rest of the Wingate & Finchley family.”